| Dan Poynter wrote in Successful Nonfiction that | | | | margin to make it worth the bookstore's while. |
| authors should never host autograph parties. | | | | And because Print on Demand books are literally |
| Instead of merely signing their books, the thing to | | | | printed only when ordered, each copy is much |
| do was offer "mini-seminars." In an August 27th, | | | | more expensive to produce than a comparable |
| 2006 interview with Tee Morris for "The Survival | | | | mass-produced book. |
| Guide to Writing Fantasy," Annie Hololob, | | | | Returns |
| Community Relations Manager for the | | | | The other thing that keeps POD books-and their |
| Harrisonburg, VA Barnes & Noble, confirms | | | | authors-out of chain stores like Barnes & |
| the value of making your book signing into an | | | | Noble is the lack of a returns policy. Bookstores |
| event. (Tee himself apparently has a habit of | | | | expect to be able to return all unsold books to a |
| staging sword fights during his book signings, | | | | publisher, and not to pay the publisher for any of |
| which definitely livens things up.)If you want to | | | | the books until after they sell. Unsold books aren't |
| have an event at a Barnes & Noble, the | | | | even returned intact: the covers get ripped off |
| Community Relations Manager is the person to | | | | and they're sent away to be pulped. (I kid you |
| talk to. This is the person who knows whether | | | | not. I was horrified to learn this, even after |
| the store's customers are the right market for | | | | reading all those warnings about not buying books |
| your book, or whether you'd do better at a store | | | | without covers.) |
| in a different city. (My local Barnes & Noble, | | | | POD houses don't warehouse books and can't |
| for instance, doesn't even have author events, | | | | provide that kind of returns policy, and very few |
| just a children's story time.) This is the person | | | | self-published authors are going to want to. But no |
| whose good side you want to get on. | | | | matter how barbaric a practice pulping is, it's a |
| There are two important things you need before | | | | fact of life at all major book outlets, and Barnes |
| you start assembling your press kit and cultivating | | | | & Noble didn't invent it. Nor does a |
| the CRM at your local Barnes & Noble, | | | | Community Relations Manager have the power to |
| however. Without them, there's no way the store | | | | bend the rules about this, however flexible s/he |
| can carry your books. Large chain bookstores | | | | may be about the form your signing takes if you |
| have to operate by certain rules in order to stay | | | | can meet the store's requirements. |
| in business, and those rules may exclude you and | | | | Alternatives |
| your book for reasons that have nothing to do | | | | If you're a self-published or POD author and |
| with your merits as a writer. | | | | touring the major chain bookstores is something |
| Distribution | | | | you can't live without, you can try to interest a |
| In order for BN to order, stock, and sell your | | | | traditional publisher in your book, though you need |
| books, they have to be available through a | | | | to make sure that you really own the book in its |
| wholesaler or distributor such as Ingram or Baker | | | | current form before you do this. (Most POD |
| & Taylor--one BN already has a relationship | | | | houses lay claim to the final, formatted version of |
| with. That means BN can buy the book at a | | | | your book, though the content remains yours.) |
| wholesale price, usually 40-60% off the cover | | | | Or you can skip Barnes & Noble altogether |
| price, without going to extra trouble to | | | | and hold your book events elsewhere. |
| special-order it. If your book is traditionally | | | | Independent bookstores are often in a better |
| published, there should be no problem with this. | | | | position than large chains to take a chance on an |
| One of the reasons for choosing to go with a | | | | author, though they, too, need to be able to buy |
| major publisher or established small press is that | | | | the books at a low enough price to make a profit. |
| they are already BN Vendors of Record. The | | | | Public libraries are almost always willing to accept |
| traditionally self-published, those like Dan Poynter | | | | the donation of a book or two and host a reading. |
| who start their own publishing companies, can | | | | And, of course, if you make your living as a |
| become Vendors of Record by filling out the BN | | | | speaker, back-of-room sales may be your best |
| Publisher Information Form. | | | | bet and an opportunity to take advantage of the |
| The authors who run into real trouble in the | | | | plus side of self-publishing and POD: getting to |
| distribution department are those with POD books. | | | | keep a far greater percentage of the book's retail |
| These books may be good-looking and high | | | | price. |
| quality. They may even be available through | | | | Book Signing Resources |
| Baker & Taylor or Ingram. But unless | | | | Unfortunately, it appears that the 2005 episodes |
| ordered in very high quantities, they are offered | | | | of The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy podcast |
| only for the retail price. BN's standard order when | | | | are no longer available on the show blog, but |
| dealing with a new publisher is two copies of | | | | should you be able to track them down, you |
| every title. Even an order of 30-50 books for a | | | | want episode 003 and episode 021. |
| signing isn't going to provide enough of a profit | | | | |